You are, and always will be my very best friend
by psychonautsmaster
Summary: The story that was never told, Jaune Arc and Blake Belladonna's childhood friendship! Read the rise and fall of a memory. More Tawny coming soon! Spaced out version updated so it's easier to ready :-)


"Hey, are you alright? The boy said to the young Faunus girl. "Y-yeah" the girl responded with teary eyes.

"What were you doing back there? Why did those bullies attack you?" the boy asked.

The girl looked down in sadness "because I'm different… because I believe I should be treated equally to humans…" she pouted.

The boy smiled "here, give me your hand" he said offering the young Faunus; the girl blushed as he lifted her off the ground and dusted her off.

"Y-you're not… scared of me?" the girl asked.

"Why would I be, so what you've got cat ears? You're still you, cat ears, dog ears, hamster ears that still makes no difference, you're a person no matter what" the boy smiled.

The girl smiled back, for the first time in her life, a human was not bullying or running away from her, "What's your name?" the boy asked softly, "Blake… Blake Belladonna" she smiled.

"I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc… hey wanna get some ice cream? My mom gave me some money and I have extra!" the boy said.

"S-sure" Blake blushed as Jaune tugged her on her arm, "c'mon lets go!" he shouted.

This is a story about the beginning of two children's friendship… and their end

It was another sunny day as Jaune and Blake were eating ice cream from their favorite bench.

Blake looked down in thought, "Hey Jaune…" she asked "why can't we spend time all day?"

Jaune stopped eating his ice cream as he stared at Blake "Well… I have school Blake," he said.

"Oh…" Blake said as her ears bent down in sadness.

"What's wrong? Don't you go to school?" Jaune asked.

"My family can't afford to put me into school…we're very poor, so the only school I can go to is a public school, I went to school for a couple of days… but I was bullied just because I'm a Faunus… I would play with the other Faunus but they make fun of me because my family's poor… so I stopped going" Blake said with a sigh.

"Hmmm…" Jaune said, "well what school do you go to?" he asked.

"Vale elementary…" Blake responded.

Jaune smiled in surprise, "I go there too! Hey why don't you come back? I'll protect you!"

Blake looked up at Jaune "Y-you will?" she asked.

Jaune nodded "yeah! One day, I'll become a Huntsman! I wanna grow up to be a hero like my dad!" as he raised a stick up into the air, "I wanna protect the ones I care about and defeat the bad guys!" as he began slashing around in the air.

Blake chuckled, "Jaune… you look so funny doing that"

Jaune blushed back "W-wha? Well… I mean," he stuttered.

Blake nodded "it's a good dream to have…" she said "I hope you become one someday".

Jaune looked down in embarrassment "yeah… well, I have to go to combat school in order to be on my path… but I'll make it! I know I will!" Jaune said as he posed, "everyone will soon know my name!"

As Jaune stood there with Blake laughing an idea flashed through his head. "Hey Blake!" he said in excitement "how about we both go to combat school! Lets become a Huntsman and Huntress together! We'll be great!"

Blake looked curiously at Jaune "R-really?" she said, "I never thought about it… I don't know that much about fighting…"

Jaune shook his head "don't worry about it! Neither do I, but if we both go to combat school, we'll know everything we need to know! You could finally stand up to bullies and anyone who tries to pick on Faunus!"

A warm feeling passed through Blake "that… that sounds awesome" she said as her eyes lit up in excitement.

"My parents are still deciding if I should go to combat school or not… but I know they'll say yes! And when they do, I'll take you with me!" Jaune said "but you have to promise me you'll come to school, okay? Promise?"

Blake smiled and nodded "yeah… I promise!"

"Ha! Stupid kitty girl!" the brown haired boy said to Blake pulling on her ears.

"S-stop it! That hurts!" Blake cried.

"What's a stupid Faunus like you gonna do about it? My father fought you idiots before!" the boy continued laughing.

"Please… stop" Blake whimpered.

"HEY!" a voice came from behind them said "leave her alone Cardin!" as they both saw Jaune standing angrily.

"Oh hey look kitty! It's your hero, coming to save you!" Cardin laughed "what are you gonna do about it nerd?"

Jaune clenched his fists, "I-i-if you don't leave her alone… I-I'll fight you!" as he ran in front of Blake, shielding her.

"Heh," Cardin Laughed as he cracked his knuckles "fine, time to show you what Faunus lovers like you get!" as he punched Jaune square in the stomach, he fell to the ground coughing.

"Ha ha! What's wrong nerd?" Cardin said "come on, FIGHT! Or do you just wanna give up here? Don't worry, if you beg for mercy, maybe I'll leave her alone".

Jaune grunted as he slowly got up panting, clenching his fists again, "Hm, so you won't listen to me?" Cardin said "Fine than… I gave you a chance and you didn't take it, now feel the pain!" as he punched Jaune in the stomach again, he feel onto the ground as Cardin kicked him "COME ON! GIVING UP ALREADY?"

Blake watched her friend being repeatedly kicked, "what do I do?" she said to herself.

She heard Cardin's insults over and over "FIGHT! COME ON NERD! FIGHT!"

Blake felt a rush inside of her "I-I can't…I won't…" she thought to herself "I won't let you hurt him!" as she felt a spark awaken inside of her.

"Hey Cardin!" Blake yelled, Cardin turned around smiling "what's this? You haven't run away yet?"

Blake smiled "hey about your dad… what did he do when he found out Faunus have night vision?"

Cardin looked stunned "he-hey! Are you insulting my old man?" as he stepped up towards Blake "looks like its time for your daily lesson!" he said as he swung his fist.

"Heh," Blake smirked as Cardin's fist phased through her as she disappeared.

"W-wha? Where'd you go?" Cardin said.

"Over here!" Blake yelled as she appeared behind Cardin, punching him in the face.

Cardin was knocked to the ground with a bruised face, he looked up angrily at Blake "now you're gonna get it kitty!" as he jumped up and swung his fist at Blake, once again she disappeared.

"Gotch'ya!" Blake said appearing behind Cardin, she swung her fist on his face, Cardin repeatedly tried to hit Blake over and over, no matter what it was unsuccessful.

Cardin fell on the ground, his face completely bruised as tears formed around his face, "y-you'll pay for this!" he cried, "Do you hear me? Both of you! I'll get you back for this!" as he cowardly ran away.

Jaune looked up at Blake, her hands were covered in blood as tears formed around her face as she went on her knees and began sobbing.

Jaune crawled over to her and wrapped his arms around her "hey…" he said, "don't cry… it's over now…"

Blake shoved her face onto Jaune's shoulder, screaming as loud as she could, as the tears would not stop running down her face.

Jaune and Blake sat at their favorite bench once again eating ice cream, Blake couldn't get something off her mind though as she looked down at the ground sad.

"What's wrong?" Jaune asked "you not hungry?"

Blake shook her head "No it's not that…" she said as she looked away. She paused for a moment as she turned back "Jaune… there's something I-I have to tell you" she stuttered.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I…" she said as tears formed around her eyes, she took a deep breath, trying to hold them back, "my dad lost his job… so we can't afford our apartment…" she said cried.

A chill ran down Jaune's spine as he turned pale, he knew what Blake was going to say next, "we're moving out of Vale soon to a town outside the kingdoms of Remnant…" she said as she paused once again, "so… this will be… the last time… we get to eat ice cream together…"

There was another brief pause as Jaune smiled, "oh… I see…"

Blake looked curiously at Jaune "Why aren't you crying? I'm going away… I-I won't see you again…" she asked.

Jaune shook his head and smiled "hey… remember what I told you a year ago? How we'll go to combat school and become a Huntsman and a Huntress?"

Blake nodded "yeah…why?" she asked.

"Well… I wanted you to remember this so that whatever happens to you in the future… you'll always chase your dreams, I want you to always remember that you'll be back and we'll go to combat school together!" Jaune said.

Blake looked down in sadness "But Jaune…." She said, "The towns outside the kingdoms are dangerous and full of bullies and thugs… I don't know if I'll make it…."

Jaune shook his head "no, remember when you beat up Cardin? You used that cool power with your shadows! I know you'll make it!" he said with a smile.

Blake blushed as she looked down "I want to believe you…" she said "but…I just considered myself lucky there…"

Jaune sighed "hey," he said, "When you move I want you to promise me something…" Blake looked up at Jaune; he smiled "please go to school… that's all I'm asking".

"B-but it won't be the same without you!" Blake yelled, "Who will protect me? Who will give me encouragement? Who… who will be there to hug me?"

"If you keep thinking like that than you won't make it to combat school and you won't be able to see me again" Jaune said.

Blake looked down in sadness.

"Blake…" Jaune said "I want you to remember one thing… think of it as a way we'll be able to keep our promise…"

Blake looked up, her eyes shining.

"Whenever you get into a situation where you have to fight… or if you think you can't do anything… I want you to remember me…" Jaune said "and keep saying to yourself ""I can do it, I'll see him again!""

Jaune put his finger on Blake's chest and smiled "I want you to keep me in there…"

Blake touched her chest as well and smiled.

"I want you to always keep me in your heart, no matter what and one day… you'll come back and we'll both go to combat school… you'll come back with a smile" Jaune nodded.

Blake nodded as the tears rolled down her cheeks, she jumped onto Jaune wrapping her arms around his chest as she began to cry, "no matter what…" she said "no matter what happens… you are… and always will be… my very best friend…"

Jaune wrapped his arms around Blake as he smiled.

4 years later, Jaune sits at his favorite bench eating ice cream; he likes to imagine that Blake is right by him eating with him.

Jaune looked down at the ground in sadness "so…" he said "I talked with my folks about going to combat school…" he paused for a moment.

"They said no… I-I begged them over and over again but they said that it's too dangerous…" he looked at he other side of the bench.

"Blake…" he said "please respond…please…." As tears slowly dripped down his face.

"I wanted to keep our promise… even if my father was a hero it still didn't matter to them". He looked at his ice cream in disgust "I don't need this…" he said as he threw it away, he sighed wiping his tears away.

As he sat there in silence he heard something.

"Let's go" a voice said in the distance "are we doing this meeting or not?" a man walked behind Jaune down the street, he had a dark aura around him, his burning red hair stood out along with his horns, he wore a long coat and a mask that reminded Jaune of the Grimm he read about in school.

The man ignored Jaune as he passed by him, he than heard another voice behind him; "let's not rush things too much" it said, Jaune felt a rush inside of him, he knew that voce anywhere, he looked to see… Blake.

She had on a different outfit and had a black bow covering her cat ears; she didn't seem to notice Jaune sitting on the bench as she passed him.

Jaune tried calling out to her but he was so shocked that no words could come out of his mouth, "no!" he said to himself "suck it up, this is your opportunity! Talk to her dammit!".

He ran up to Blake and tapped her on the shoulder, she sighed; "look officer, we're just passing by okay? We have our hands cle-" as she turned around she stopped and turned pale.

"B-B-Blake" Jaune stuttered, they both stood in silence.

"Jaune…" Blake said slowly.

"Blake…." Jaune said, "What's going on?"

Blake opened her mouth but before she could speak, a voice boomed behind her, "Blake! Now!" the man said behind her "there's no time to waste with humans!"

Blake looked down in sadness as she turned away from Jaune, "meet me here… tonight… 10PM…"

Jaune sat under the streetlight on his favorite bench at 10PM; he looked down at his watch and sighed, "Blake should be here by now."

He heard a tap "sorry about that…" a voice behind him says.

He turned to see Blake on top of the ice cream shop's roof; she smiled at Jaune as she jumped down to sit right next to him.

"Where do I even begin?" Jaune said.

Blake smiled as she shook her head "you don't have to begin anywhere, how are you?" she said "did you make it into combat school?"

Jaune started shaking, "Blake…" he said as he looked down at the ground "I-… my parents won't let me go to combat school".

Blake paused "Oh…" she said "But… you'll still find a way to become a Huntsman right? You'll-"

Jaune shook his head "No… it's impossible, I'm rubbish…" he said slowly.

Blake put her hand on Jaune's shoulder "hey now, don't act like that…"

Jaune looked back at Blake sternly "can we stop talking about me?" Jaune said "Because I'm really not that interesting to talk about… sorry I don't mean to be so rude but…" as he felt a lump in his throat "what happened to you? Who was that man you were with? Why are you wearing a bow? Where did you learn to jump off buildings?"

Blake looked down and sighed, "Jaune…I…there's something I have to tell you" she said "I should have told you this a long time ago but…. Jaune, this whole time… I've been a member of the White Fang".

Jaune felt shock all over his body "The White Fang…" he said "that terrorist grou-"

"We're not terrorists!" Blake screamed, she paused for a while as she sighed, "I'm sorry… I-I don't like it when people say stuff like that".

She looked back at Jaune, "But yes… I've been a member of the White Fang for a long time… I've started out doing small things like joining protests…"

"Protests?" Jaune said, "w-was that what you were doing when we first met?"

Blake frowned as she slowly nodded. "But ever since I've moved outside the kingdoms… I've learned something… through my many fights… I've learned that the people who do crime don't do it out of greed… they do it out of suffering" she said "they don't want to do the things they do, and it's not their fault, it's the racist humans".

"That man back there… the man you were with…" Jaune said, "Who is he?"

Blake paused as she looked down "his-his name is Adam…" she said "he's my mentor and a leader of the White Fang… when I was in trouble… he was there for me, he taught me everything about fighting and surviving, he told me that he wants to make this world a better place… so I followed him…"

Jaune felt a chill "where were you two going to just then? What is this all about?" he asked.

"We-we were going to a White Fang meeting to plan our next heist…" Blake said.

"What?" Jaune yelled, "What do you mean hei-"

"It's not what you think it is!" Blake interrupted "we don't take innocent people! And we're stealing Dust from the Schnee Dust Company! They've been treating Faunus employee's unfairly so…"

"So?" Jaune said "So? So what? Blake, it sounds to me that you're doing crimes, whatever happened to school Blake? Whatever happened to our promise?" Jaune asked.

"I did go to school Jaune! I did! But… but it was so different from Vale elementary…" Blake said "Jaune, this wasn't everyday bullying, this was fighting for survival, someone could steal from you at any moment because they didn't have money for lunch, or they didn't have a ride home! Do you know what happened to some students at school? They would either starve or freeze up on the way home and we did nothing! We just let their bodies lay there! I had to do something Jaune, I had to make a difference, that's why I'm following Adam!".

Jaune looked down in sadness "Blake… I don't want to see you like this… I really don't…" as he looked at Blake's bow.

Blake paused as she looked away from Jaune.

"Are you just wearing that because you're afraid? Whatever happened to the Blake who wasn't afraid of admitting who she was? Whatever happened to the Blake who stood up for the right things?" he asked.

Blake paused as she felt anger "Jaune…" she said slowly.

"Whatever happened to going to combat school? What… ever happened to keeping me in your heart?" Jaune said.

Blake looked up at Jaune in anger "because that's such a childish dream!" she yelled.

Jaune was completely shocked "Blake…" he said "why?"

"Look at yourself Jaune!" Blake yelled, "Just look at yourself! You didn't make it to combat school… you too broke the promise Jaune!"

Jaune paused as he nodded "Yeah..." he said, "you know, you're right… becoming a huntsman… that was a childish dream… but you know what really mattered to me Blake? Wanting you and me to keep each other in our hearts… wanting us to grow up and having good lives… look at yourself Blake, look at yourself and tell me ""are you living a good life? Are you ready to face each other again?""

Blake paused "you know that's not possible for someone like me Jaune…" she said, "you know… I'll never live a normal life".

Jaune looked at Blake and smiled "yes you can, there is a way" as he held out his hand to Blake "Blake… forget the White Fang… forget Adam… come with me… lets grow up together Blake…"

Blake looked down "Adam told me that all humans would never understand our cause… they'll never understand why we fight… Jaune please don't prove him right."

Jaune put down his arm and sighed, "I guess that's a no…"

Blake smirked "Jaune, I can't just leave all of my people behind…" she said, "I want to be treated equally… so we can both be happy".

"You need to look at reality Blake" Jaune said, "There's always going to be someone who hates for no reason, that's just the way we were made, you say that becoming a Huntress is childish but look at Adam; stealing Dust, causing raids, and for what? Faunus rights? Seems to me like he's making people hate the Faunus even more, he's making people respect you out of fear Blake, why can't you see that?"

Blake shook her head "No…No Jaune you're wrong, I'm doing good! I'm not hurting anyone! I'm making a difference for once! I-I… I'm already a Huntress! I'm saving the world!"

Blake felt a slap swipe across her face, she felt her face swell as Jaune looked at her sternly, and she looked back in shock.

"No" Jaune said, "This isn't what a Huntress stands for… I bet you…that one day Adam is going to do something you regret… he's going to hurt innocent lives".

Blake looked up at Jaune in anger.

"And when that day comes" Jaune said "I want you to remember me… I want you to go to combat school…"

Blake paused as she looked sternly at Jaune "I see…" she said with a flash in her eyes "so Adam is right… no one understands us…"

Jaune looked back at Blake's eyes "No Blake" he said, "it's you who are not understanding, you're clouded by ignorance, you need to do what's right".

Blake paused as she turned around, "I have nothing more to say to you human"

Jaune too turned his back against her "Don't call me that Blake… I'm doing this because you're my very best friend… because I love you," he said.

Blake shook her head and paused "I…. don't have any friends…. I am alone" she said softly.

Jaune turned around "no Blake, you're not alone… and you never will b-" but before he knew it, she had disappeared.

Blake sat on top of a tower hitting her fist on the ground, "STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!", as she lay on the ground crying.

"I loved you…" she said "I-I wanted you to come with me… what was I thinking? I'm the one being childish…" she said to herself.

"What a shame…" a voice came from behind Blake, she turned around to see Adam behind her.

"Adam… what are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I've been watching you from up here Blake" Adam smiled "Are you forgetting? I have good vision".

Blake stood up and stared angrily at Adam, "why were you spying on me?"

Adam smiled "to prove my point to you," he said "to prove to you that no one will understand, did you expect a human to understand? Understand what you've been through? Who you've become?"

Blake paused as tears fell down her face "I-I" she stuttered.

Adam wrapped his arm around Blake's shoulder "but don't worry," he said "I'll understand you… we've been through so much together, you and I… together, we'll make him understand…"

Blake looked up at Adam as he smiled.

"You…" she gritted "you better deliver on that promise…"

Adam smiled "don't worry…" he said, "I will and always will… be here for you".

Blake brushed his arm off her shoulder "stop joking around…" she said.

"Hmph," Adam grunted, "right than, if you're done here, I say we go back, we need a good nights rest if we're going to start the operation tomorrow" he said as he walked away.

Blake looked out at the scenery of Vale, its lights still flashing despite the time, "it's beautiful at night…" she said "I wish… I wish you were here to see it with me, Jaune" as she imagined herself and Jaune as children, running around to be Huntsman and Huntresses.

Blake smiled as she wiped away her tears; she walked towards the roofs door and slammed it shut.

2 years later, team RWBY was walking to their next class, Ruby grunted as she said "time for math".

"You're not that much of a math person huh?" Weiss asked.

Ruby smiled "Nope!" she said, "Math is the enemy of mankind! I just wanna start engineering already," she said, thinking of all of the possible mods she could add to Crescent Rose.

"So you hate math but you love engineering…" Weiss said.

Ruby nodded with a "yep!"

Weiss simply rolled her eyes "I think I'll never come to understand you."

Yang smacked Ruby on the back "cheer up sis, hey the more you know about math, the better the engineering!"

Ruby moaned, "What are you dad?" she asked as she smiled.

Ruby, Weiss and Yang laughed, as they all looked at Blake.

"Hm? Hey Blake" Yang asked, "What's the matter? You've been awfully quiet today"

Weiss smirked "when isn't she?"

Blake blushed as she looked up "h-hey!" she stuttered.

As they continued walking they spotted JNPR walking besides them.

"Oh!" Ruby shouted, "hey guys!"

"Hi!" Nora cheered, "Where you guys going to next?"

"Math," Weiss said "we're trying to make sure Ruby doesn't run off"

Ruby looked sternly at Weiss.

As both teams talked, Blake noticed Jaune looked down and slowly at her, a smile appeared on his face, it's as if Blake could read his mind; it was saying "I told you so" only in a positive way, she looked directly at his eyes and smiled.

"Crap!" Weiss said, "We only have 5 minutes left!" Yang sighed "C'mon Ruby" she said as she dragged Ruby by the hood.

"Wait!" Ruby cried as she struggled from Yang's strong grip.

As Jaune and Blake walked by each other, they both thought, about that day, when they first met, a young boy and a young Faunus, they both thought to themselves, "No matter what happens… you are… and always will be… my very best friend…"


End file.
